Cat Behavior & Appearance

What's Your Cat Telling You?

If cats could talk, their pet parents could ask a slew of questions. Things like: Are you hungry? Why do you like hiding in paper bags? And do you have to use the couch as a scratching post? No doubt, cats are mysterious, but it's worth trying to understand what they're thinking and why they behave the way they do. You can learn how to speak “cat language” by paying attention to a variety of signals like body postures, facial expressions and vocalizations. Not only will this bring you closer to your cat, but it'll also train her out of bad behavior.

Cat Psychology and Behavior

No matter what kind of personality your cat has, we bet it's a strong one. Feisty, calm, playful – each has a distinct personality packed with mystery. Every cat parent would agree that furry felines do some odd, yet comical things. They might hide in the sink, knead and massage your head while you're sleeping, or pounce on a piece of cat food. While you might see her behavior as funny and entertaining, she's actually just following her feline instincts. But if you're dealing with cat behavior problems, keep in mind she's probably just trying to tell you something. One way you can decipher what she's trying to communicate is by listening to the sounds she makes. Whether it's a meow, purr, hiss, howl or even a chirp, each vocal cue is a tiny peek inside her thought process.

Cat Body Language

Cats use body language almost exclusively to communicate their needs and emotions. Whether they want to say “play with me” or “don't mess with me”, tails are good indicators of moods. Take a cat's tail language for example – a tail curved like a question mark means she wants your attention. A tail positioned straight down can signal aggression. Similarly, other actions like rubbing her face on your leg or rolling over onto her back means she's comfortable and trusts you. Her ears can also tell you she's angry when she flattens them against her head. If they're erect and inclined forward, she's relaxed and happy.